Lea Michele to Star as Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL Starting 9/6; Beanie Feldstein Departing 7/31- Page 48

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 8:03am

theatreguy12 said: "RippedMan said: "I also don't think some of you realize how fake this business is. Of course they're going to say nice things about her, wish her well, etc. People, for the most part, aren't monsters. And she's part of a well connected family. They're going to smile and wish her the best, duh."

Exactly. Some will always get glee out of watching people fall, and fall hard. Others even like to throw salt in the wound when the fallen have hit the ground.

There's another group who will be gracious, despite the troubles.

She was offered a job, she took it, and it didn't go well.

She's gone now. Time to move on from BF.

The show will either be saved now, or it won't. I've heard many say that the book for this show, and the show in general, just aren't strong.

And while the next two ladies in line are far stronger in the role, neither are Barbra. They will keep it going longer than BF might have, but I guess we'll have to see just how long it remains on Broadway.

"

Oooo you must lend me your time machine! You know they’re better in the roles?? Unless you’re referring to Benko and Aardema. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 9:47am

No one needs to go into a time machine to see how much better in the role Lea Michele will be.  Why?  She’s a seasoned musical theater actress.  She’s a singer.  Her roots are in musicals.  Even as a child.  Beanie has zero musical theater training.  Musical Theater Camp doesn’t count.  Yes, Beanie did play Minnie Faye on Broadway in HELLO, DOLLY! A role that appears in a handful of book scenes and sings in ensemble numbers.  Like her, millions of girls consider FUNNY GIRL their favorite film musical.  Is it their dream to play the role one day?  Um, of course.  Beanie got to.  On a huge scale.  Sadly, she was over her head as her gorgeous talent doesn’t suit what the role requires.  Streisand was a singer who acts.  Singing FUNNY GIRL came first, then the rest followed.  Lea Michele is a singer who acts.  Beanie is an actress who enjoys singing.  Like most of us.  Like Beanie, we shouldn’t be doing Broadway musicals.  

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 10:13am

Yeah... one does not need a time machine to see how much better Michele will sound in the role. She sang the songs before on Glee. And, as BrodyFosse just mentioned, she's a trained actress who will be able to meet the vocal demands of the role (which is more than we can say about Feldstein).

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 10:18am

I did laugh out loud during the curtain speech when what’s his name said they learned so much from Beanie. And why didn’t she say anything? Where was her speech? 

[joevitus]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 10:45am

Penna2 said: "theatreguy12 said:
And while the next two ladies in line are far stronger in the role, neither are Barbra. They will keep it going longer than BF might have, but I guess we'll have to see just how long it remains on Broadway.

Barbra did the show for a year. Mimi Hines did it for 18 months after that on Broadway. The National Tour ran for a year with Marilyn Michaels during 1965-66. The show doesn't need Barbra, just a strong lead. I think they will be happy with a year tbh, but who knows?

"

Meh, yeah a hit show is going to keep running after the star leaves. This doesn't mean the show is very good. At some point, the score and buzz take over. Particularly when it's a new show and people are curious, not a revival. 

[themick2]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 11:32am

LEA IS WONDERFUL AND EXPERIENCED AND EXCITING AND WILL SH*T RAINBOWS ALL OVER THIS PRODUCTION AND MAKE IT A RECORD-BREAKING SUCCESS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SHE DOES!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 11:44am

DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "I did laugh out loud during the curtain speech when what’s his name said they learned so much from Beanie. And why didn’t she say anything? Where was her speech?"

Hmmm.....

In other news, her face was scrubbed from all things Funny Girl at exactly midnight last night. Merch, website, etc. 

 

[David10086]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 11:47am

shocktheatre said: "David gives us this warning:

"she's inviting everyone who enjoyed her in 'Funny Girl' to come to opening night".

OK. Will there be rush tickets? What time do I have to get up for this event?"

Where did my original post go? For some reason it was taken down - don’t know why. 

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:04pm

David10086 said: "Where did my original post go? For some reason it was taken down - don’t know why."



 

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:06pm

Anyone have eyes on the marquee? 
 

I didn’t expect her to give a speech. She was fired then quit. I don’t think it’s been a positive experience. So she’s prob happy to move on. 

[KnewItWhenIWasInFron]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:08pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "No one needs to go into a time machine to see how much better in the role Lea Michele will be. Why? She’s a seasoned musical theater actress. She’s a singer. Her roots are in musicals. Even as a child. Beanie has zero musical theater training. Musical Theater Camp doesn’t count. Yes, Beanie did play Minnie Faye on Broadway in HELLO, DOLLY! A role that appears in a handful of book scenes and sings in ensemble numbers. Like her, millions of girls consider FUNNY GIRL their favorite film musical. Is it their dream to play the role one day? Um, of course. Beanie got to. On a huge scale. Sadly, she was over her head as her gorgeous talent doesn’t suit what the role requires. Streisand was a singer who acts. Singing FUNNY GIRL came first, then the rest followed. Lea Michele is a singer who acts. Beanie is an actress who enjoys singing. Like most of us. Like Beanie, we shouldn’t be doing Broadway musicals."

For the record, Streisand considers herself the opposite (even if she's the only one): an actor who sings.

[Jimmyb1969]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:08pm

…nice is different than good.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:13pm

themick2 said: "LEA IS WONDERFUL AND EXPERIENCED AND EXCITING AND WILL SH*T RAINBOWS ALL OVER THIS PRODUCTION AND MAKE IT A RECORD-BREAKING SUCCESS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SHE DOES!"

Sh*t rainbows?!?!?!? 

Oh honey, no. Just.....no.

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:20pm

KnewItWhenIWasInFron said: "For the record, Streisand considers herself the opposite (even if she's the only one): an actor who sings."

 

Yes.  It has always been my understanding that, although she certainly could sing, her main goal was to become an actress.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:29pm

Sutton Ross said: "DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "I did laugh out loud during the curtain speech when what’s his name said they learned so much from Beanie. And why didn’t she say anything? Where was her speech?"

Hmmm.....

In other news, her face was scrubbed from all things Funny Girl at exactly midnight last night. Merch, website, etc.

"

Fascinating, but also expected. Curious what they do about the Marquee and Playbills. I would love nothing more than to see Julie's face plastered across all of it, but something tells me they might skip out on that. Easy to do for the Playbills, less so for the Marquee.

[jkcohen626]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:33pm

As far as Lea, I expect that the show will lose much of the humor and sweetness that Beanie brought. But, it is undeniable that Lea will blow the roof off of that thjeatre every night. She has an incredible voice and I think you will buy much more that she truly is the greatest star on this ambitious climb.

[Penna2]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 12:40pm

jkcohen626 said: "As far as Lea, I expect that the show will lose much of the humor and sweetness that Beanie brought. But, it is undeniable that Lea will blow the roof off of that thjeatre every night. She has an incredible voice and I think you will buy much more that she truly is the greatest star on this ambitious climb."

Thing is - Fanny wasn't sweet, at least according to everything I've read about her. She was ambitious, passionate, funny - willing to make fun of herself, obsessed with Nicky and very focused on what she wanted. She was lovable as a character. In real life, she was more pragmatic and quiet - loving, but again pretty controlling. I think part of the reason the show didn't work was they cast someone with a personality that didn't really mesh with the real person, so the story didn't work.

From what I've seen so far about Lea is she has the potential to be a knockout Fanny. My only wonderings are whether she can do comedy. I believe her connection with Ramin is going to be solid and there will be a greater sense of what the Fanny/Nicky relationship was all about, even more so than what has been mentioned about him with Julie.

[Sally Durant Plummer]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 1:29pm

I find Michelle to be a gifted comic, though her humor style is much different than Streisand's. She's a great partner in Murphy's work, who seemed to really 'get" her and her style. The comedy in Funny Girl is a different type, and I'm interested to see how she'll do.

If these producers have any sense - which they have shown over and over they don't - they would cut that awful finale and replace it with "My Man". That alone would elicit thunderous applause. I know Lea is a gifted vocalist, but I was shocked how similar her live version of the song was to the one she recorded for Glee. I always assumed that version had been doctored up (like all studio recordings are now).

[shocktheatre]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 1:56pm

themick2 said: "LEA IS WONDERFUL AND EXPERIENCED AND EXCITING AND WILL SH*T RAINBOWS ALL OVER THIS PRODUCTION AND MAKE IT A RECORD-BREAKING SUCCESS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SHE DOES!"


Carlos responded:

"Sh*t rainbows?!?!?!? 

Oh honey, no. Just.....no."

I have to agree with Carlos. I know Lea's fans are all excited, but I don't recommend posting anything about "Lea Michele and sh*t" on this board. And Glee cast members know why.

Updated On: 8/1/22 at 01:56 PM

[V2David]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 2:23pm

Sally Durant Plummer said: "If these producers have any sense - which they have shown over and over they don't - they would cut that awful finale and replace it with "My Man". That alone would elicit thunderous applause."

THIS.  Give the audience what they want!  Someone who can kick ass on the songs and is a real star.  But then again, these are the same stupid Producers who thought they could outsmart everyone by hiring Beanie in the first place.  And you wonder why the show was struggling?

[DAME]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 2:44pm

RippedMan said: "I also don't think some of you realize how fake this business is. Of course they're going to say nice things about her, wish her well, etc. People, for the most part, aren't monsters. And she's part of a well connected family. They're going to smile and wish her the best, duh."

TOTALLY AGREE.    I know so many grandiose over the top performers in the biz that would give emotional speeches like that and then stab you in the back.  Might not have been the case here.

And sure I feel for her and wish her the best.. but I saw this in previews right before it opened.  I thought she was awful and I was hugely disappointed.  I paid my $200 plus a ticket and I am allowed.  And I don't think critics or most here who have expressed or re expressed their disappointment deserve to be maligned.  I would say 80% of the people going on about poor Beanie and all that .. have not seen the show.  

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 2:48pm

And plenty of frequent posters on this board berating her didn't see it, either. I didn't like her in the role, but it baffles me why someone who didn't even see her would presume to repeatedly share their opinion about her performance, based solely on bootleg audio and the sitzprobe video, since there's literally nothing else to go by.

Updated On: 8/1/22 at 02:48 PM

[alovingfan]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 2:59pm

DAME said: "RippedMan said: "I also don't think some of you realize how fake this business is. Of course they're going to say nice things about her, wish her well, etc. People, for the most part, aren't monsters. And she's part of a well connected family. They're going to smile and wish her the best, duh."

TOTALLY AGREE. I know so many grandiose over the top performers in the biz that would give emotional speeches like that and then stab you in the back. Might not have been the case here.

And sure I feel for her and wish her the best.. but I saw this in previews right before it opened. I thought she was awful and I was hugely disappointed. I paid my $200 plus a ticket and I am allowed. And I don't think critics or most here who have expressed or re expressed their disappointment deserve to be maligned. I would say 80% of the people going on about poor Beanie and all that .. have not seen the show."

I saw it early in its run and also did not care for her or the show.  

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 3:15pm

Hell, I also paid $200 plus for my 2nd preview ticket which now paid itself back as I can now tell my grandkids I saw Beanie Feldstein in FUNNY GIRL, which now is in the history books alongside Chris Kattan in the revival of THE FROGS, Madeline Kahn in ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, and even Dean Jones in COMPANY.  

[Papi2013]

Posted: 8/1/22 at 3:47pm

I saw all those plus Legs Diamond as well.  But I believe The Bean in Funny Girl takes the cake.